Alliant's plan for New Bohemia substation draws heated reaction

UPDATE: Alliant Energy's plan to replace  its flooded Cedar Substation on the former site of Iowa Iron is getting a cold reception in the New Bohemia Arts & Entertainment District.

The utility has identified the city-owned property east of the Cherry Building as its preferred site to replace the Cedar Substation it lost in the floods of June 2008.

Alliant Energy spokesman Scott Drcyzimski said the utility identified nine potential sites for the substation, including the city-owned Iowa Iron site, the city-owned Iowa Steel site,and the city-owned Sinclair property.

Many of the sites were less desirable than the Iowa Iron site  for reasons ranging from uncertainity about the development plans for the area, to price and  proximity to city-owned parks.

Alliant had planned to make a presentation to the Cedar Rapids City Council on May 4 about its siting process for the substation. Drcyzimski said the company decided Thursday to have the item removed from the council's agenda due to community misperceptions about the project.

Several stakeholders in the emerging New Bohemia district have written letters and e-mails to the city opposing the disposition of the property for the substation.

Sarah Ordover said the substation would conflict with the environment the Cedar Rapids City Market is seeking for its proposal to build a new year-around farmers market on the city's Quality Chef foods site.

“To have a big utility plant behind what's supposed to be a center for healthful living is kind of a disconnect,” Ordover said. After meeting with Alliant about the project, she said neighborhood representatives discussed the possibility of holding an art competition for a design to visually conceal the substation. Subsquently, she said it appeared the substation would be too large to be hidden by art.

“We want to work with Alliant and we understand their need for a substation in that neighborhood,” she said. “I'm certain there must be a path that's positive.”

Cherry Building co-owner David Chadima wrote to the city that allowing the substation would harm the momentum of flood recovery and redevelopment in the New Bohemia district along Third Street SE.

The Cherry Building was home to 50 artists and small businesses before the flood. It has since reopened after an extensive renovation, and now houses 30 businesses employing over 50 people.

Redevelopment projects in the area have included the Water Tower Place and Bottleworks loft condominium projects, the new Parlor City pub, the Chrome Horse, and a major upgrade to begin soon as CSPS/Legion Arts.

The proposal has also been opposed by the Southside Investment Board, the New Bohemia Group board of directors, and other neighborhood groups.

New Bohemia business owner and Oakhill-Jackson Neighborhood Association President  Michael Richards wrote a scathing condemnation of the proposal.

“To drop the bomb of a extemely intrusive Alliant substation in the very middle of this prime development area will bring the private investment in New Bohemia and the citizen enthusiasm for this area to a crashing halt,” he wrote. He called Alliant an “out of state entity,” questioning its level

Drcyzimski said the utility has been serving the area with electricity using a  substation built in three weeks to restore electrical service after the flood. It is less reliable than the old substation, and lacks the same redundancy features that help the utility keep the power flowing in emergencies. He said a reasonably priced site will allow the utility to spend more money on aesthetic measures to make the substation less intrusive.

The Iowa Iron site, like the old Cedar Substation site, flooded in 2008. Drcyzimski said it was virtually impossible to find a site in the most optimal area for building the substation to serve large customers such as Penford Products Corp. and the city's police station that did not flood. He said the substation would be built so that critical components were placed as high as possible to keep the substation in service longer if it floods, and so that it could be restored more quickly if damaged in a flood.

Drcyzimski said misconceptions had grown in the community that Alliant had already decided on the Iowa Iron site, and that it was not willing to consider other sites or community input. He said Alliant is open to other options, and will take more time to discuss the project with community groups.

Ordover  said Alliant's decision to withdraw the city council presentation and spend more time considering community input is “excellent news.”